Have an 04 Itasca Suncruiser with a 325 HWH hydraulic leveling system. The 15A fuses for the front jacks, inside the control box, are blowing out when we try to lower them.
We are getting the ground lights for them but when we go to drop them the power lights don’t illuminate. That lead us to the fuses. Changed them out and powered up the system and they blew out again.
Would this be a solenoid issue if both sides are blowing at the same time? Control box? Relays? Or shuttle valve? I’d hate to start shotgunning parts so I submit this to more veteran RV owners. This happen to anyone else? I tried looking for this problem on the forums (wow lots of information around here btw!) but I didn’t find any resembling it.
Sounds like a short. Things I would check are the wires ground and hot. I by no means am a expert on this but voltage and ground readings are a good place to start. I also might check the controller switches also could be a bad circuit board. Hope this gave you a starting point.
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Ray & Diane
2005 Winnebago Vectra 36RD
Honda CRV
I have a 2002 Ultimate Freedom. I had a similar problem. I was blowing a fuse every time I tried to level. I found corrosion on the backside of the control panel after troubleshooting for weeks. (The panel with the push buttons) I cleaned the corrosion carefully, making sure not to damage the circuit board. I have not had a fuse blow for the past three years.
This information comes from other owners. So I can't confirm it myself, but it sounds like it may help you with your fuse problem:
1) My issue (NewAire 3341) was loss of ground caused by 2 screws on the HWH pump to chassis mount. 1-2 turns of the screws and all fixed. They also said loss of ground to the solenoids would create same issues.
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION ==> It is best to attach another ground wire to the pump assy. Just unscrew those large bolts going through the motor and add a thick gauge wire...connected to a good ground.
This was suggested by Paul (azpete) so I would trust this recommendation. In fact, I need to put this on my "to-do list" for 2020.
Thanks for reminding me! And please let us know how you fixed your fuse problem?
My experience with the fuses. I have a 04 with the 325 leveling system. All 4 jacks fuses blew. System would turn on and the pump would free wheel. Replaced fuses and they blew again. My issue turned out all 4 solenoids were bad. I had a sleepy jack retracting and didn't know about running in store mode too long. Solenoids heated up and failed. Even if one jack is slow coming up I think the system keeps all 4 solenoids energized. Unless the jack reports it is stored then the system shuts off that solenoid. I replaced all my springs when I did the solenoids. I also put in a new shuttle valve. Thinking about getting the old solenoids rebuilt as spares. The new ones have a lever to manual release them which is nice. I have been storing my jacks manually to keep an eye on the sleepy jack. Its seems much better with the new springs.
I have the exact same leveling system, and the same thing happened to me recently. What happened was that I burnt out one of the jack solenoids, to the point that it was shorting out inside the steel casing - blowing the fuse. I replaced with a new solenoid, replaced the fuse, and now everything works great.
Several things to note:
(1) Many owner sites, and even HWH, strongly recommend that you never leave the jacks in "Store" mode for more than 5 minutes at a time. What happens is that when in Store mode all 4 jack solenoids are activated, and they will overheat if left on for too long. They will burn out eventually. This is what happened to me. All 4 will stay activated until the system registers that ALL 4 jacks are retracted - which could be 30 minutes, 45 minutes, whatever. (A design flaw if you ask me, as they recommend )
minimal time yet the system will leave activated for as long as it takes)
(2) If your jacks are not fully retracting within 5 minutes then they most likely have to be cleaned & lubed. HWH recommends spraying the exposed chrome piston on each jack with WD-40. I find that when doing this aim the flexible spray tube up into the recess where the chromed piston retracts into the jack cylinder. This helps to blow out any accumulated dirt & grime there. Work the spray nozzle all around the entire circumference, and let the WD-40 run down the chromed tube but then wipe with a paper towel to distribute and lube the piston. Do not try to completely clean off, as some lube is needed for the seals at bottom of the cylinder. When I do this I find the jacks retract VERY quickly.
(3) Replacing HWH jack leveling solenoids - I ended up buying from NW RV Supply as they had a good price and were very helpful. The problem is accessing the solenoids. In my case I was lucky in that the one I needed to replace was in the upper row nearest the edge - so I could access it. Most of the other solenoids on this system (includes those for the slideouts) are under others and buryed under loose wires and hydraulic hoses.
The solenoids should unscrew very easily when gripped with lack-jaw pliers, but the problem is that the inner valve body which the solenoid controls will not come out with it. (A new solenoid includes a new valve body with all new seals). The inner valve body is not threaded into the hole where the solenoid was removed, but they get very stuck in place from the high pressure on their seals. They are just aluminum so you have to be VERY gentle in trying to remove the valve body. Mine would not move - even though I could get a good grip on the valve body threaded stem with needle nose pliers.
So I devised a puller that very easily pulled these inner valve bodies right out -
The valve body has a 1/2-20 thread on it, which threads into the solenoid. But when you unscrew the solenoid to remove it this thread also unscrews - which is why it is stuck. So I got (at Ace Hardware) a 1/2-20 connecting sleeve, and 1/2-20 bolt, nut, and washer, and a spacer sleeve that would fit loosely over the 1/2" stem & bolt and sit against the main distribution manifold. I then gently screwed the threaded connecting sleeve onto the valve body stem as far as it would go (finger tight only), fit the outer spacer sleeve around that, threaded in the bolt into the inner connecting sleeve (with the nut and washer already screwed onto the bolt). Then I simply started rotating the nut on the bolt against the washer and outer spacer sleeve and it pulled the inner valve body right out - easy peasy!
After cleaning up (very well) the solenoid install hole - using a Q-tip - and all around the area - I simply screwed in the new solenoid by hand as far as it would go, and then snugged up with the lock jaw pliers. (do not overtighten!). Plugged in the connector wire for the new solenoid and then tested system.
imnprsd: To answer your questions, and supply A LOT more information - -
(1) Photos of my removal tool attached. I did not show the valve body (which screws into the end of the solenoid) but the connector sleeve threads over that in the manifold recess. Then, by placing the 3/4" outer sleeve over that and then threading the bolt (with nut & washer already threaded on, you can then tighten the nut against the washer/outer sleeve and it will easily pull out the valve body without damaging anything.
(2) Your diagram is similar to my system, but as you can see from all the HWH attachments I am including there are many versions and variations of their hydraulic systems. My system has at least 8 solenoids - all the smaller 1 1/2". The 4 I have along the top row all control the jacks - in the same sequence as your diagram - and all the other solenoids control the 3 slideouts on my RV (2005 Winnebago Adventurer 37b). It is apparent that HWH made many different systems to accommodate each RV they were fitted to.
(3) The 4 fuses for the leveling jacks are located on the top row of the main system circuit board. On my system this board is mounted onto the end of the pump/manifold/solenoid system. All the solenoids & pump connect into it. This circuit board is large - ~7" x 10", mounted under a clear plexiglass cover which faces out on my RV. Again - every RV will have different variation and location depending on the mfg, model, etc.
(4) I have attached all the HWH data sheets I have accumulated in my research of their hydraulic systems. Some of it is overlapping, but you find much of it very helpful.
Linear Mode
